KINGMAN – After a spirited debate the Mohave County Board of Supervisors voted 3-2 to deny a proposed marijuana dispensary from receiving a special use permit on Nov. 7.
Voting against denying the permit were Supervisors Jean Bishop and Buster Johnson. Making the initial motion to deny was Supervisor Travis Lingenfelter.
“There was a prior marijuana dispensary at this location …,” Lingenfelter said. “The Planning and Zoning Commission approved this, however, in good conscience I can’t support this. I’m going to vote against this.”
Lingenfelter, Angius and Chairman Ron Gould voted to deny the special use permit.
Supervisor Buster Johnson remembered when the board previously decided to go ahead with a marijuana facility they were going with state recommendations.
“So, this is going against that,” he inquired. “I guess this is something for our attorney.”
Deputy County Attorney Ryan Esplin said it is a pure land-use issue but even with a state statute, the board had the propagative to add their perspective.
“When the recreational portion was approved the county went back and redid our ordinance,” he said. “When we did, it allowed industrial and manufacture type zones; made it so you had to have a special use type permit with the commercial (marijuana) and that’s what this is, so it’s a commercial zone and goes through the public hearing process. Surrounding property owners are notified and the board does have the ultimate decision.”
At the board’s meeting, Dan Gauthier, a real estate transaction attorney with the Rose Law Group, spoke on behalf of the applicant (owner), who was identified as the Kingman Property Group, LLC, by Roger Galloway, county spokesman. Gauthier also spoke at the Planning and Zoning Commission meeting in October.
The commission voted unanimously to recommend approval to the board.
“A couple of years ago, Kingman Property Group decided to switch licenses from this location to another within the state,” said Gauthier. “But between temporarily closing and interim zoning changes the applicant is now required to obtain a special use permit to reopen. I urge the board to reconsider before you make a motion to deny.”
Bishop said the applicant was in her district and she would not be supporting denial. With the exception of Lingenfelter, denial proponents offered no explanation of their vote.
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